A Palestinian Kills Three Israeli Security Officers

In an armed attack by a Palestinian worker in a settlement around Jerusalem, three Israeli security guards were killed and a security officer was severely injured early Tuesday morning, October 4; the attacker was also killed. According to Israeli media, 37-year-old Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jamal, a Palestinian worker from the village of Beit Surik, who had a work permit in Israel, opened fire on the guards at the checkpoint entrance to the "Her Adar" settlement at 7:15 AM with a weapon he had prepared. The attacker was killed in the return fire, but the targeted guards died either instantly or shortly after due to the severity of their injuries, and the injured security officer was transferred to the hospital. The "Her Adar" settlement is located fifteen kilometers from Jerusalem and is considered part of both Israeli territory and the West Bank. Every morning, dozens of Palestinian men and women from surrounding villages pass through the checkpoint to work in this settlement. According to Israeli and Palestinian media, Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jamal left a letter described as a "will," referring to personal life problems with his wife, who had recently fled their home. The attacker's wife, who was abused by her husband, had gone to Jordan, leaving the care of their four children to him. In his "will," Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jamal wrote that his wife had no role in his decision to attack and that she was a "kind mother and a good wife." Just an hour before killing the Israeli guards, he had sent a message to his wife in Jordan saying, "You will see my photo in the media very soon." Israeli media reported that the weapon used by the attacker belonged to Israeli security forces and was registered as a lost weapon in 2003, but it remains unclear how a simple Palestinian worker acquired the skills to use a weapon and kill several guards. According to the Jerusalem Post, Israeli security forces have besieged the village of Beit Surik, where the deceased attacker lived. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a Likud party ministerial meeting on Tuesday that security forces are investigating whether this incident represents a new type of attacks against Israelis. Netanyahu ordered the demolition of the attacker's house in the neighboring Palestinian village and the revocation of work permits held by the attacker's relatives. The Israeli Prime Minister also urged Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, to condemn the attack. However, a counter-terrorism expert told the Jerusalem Post that despite this attack, Israel should continue to grant work permits and entry to Palestinians into Israeli territory. Israeli media, citing Shin Bet, the internal security agency, reported that they described Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jamal as someone with mental health issues and family problems, even though they had issued him a work permit in the "Her Adar" settlement. Meanwhile, some Palestinian organizations in Gaza, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, praised the "Her Adar" attack in statements. This recent attack occurred while Israeli security measures were heightened during the Rosh Hashanah holiday and in the lead-up to Yom Kippur, as well as ongoing Jewish autumn religious rituals. On the other hand, U.S. President Donald Trump has sent his special envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt, on another mission to talk with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Mahmoud Abbas stated last week in a meeting with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York that he believes achieving a "historic peace" is possible this year with the efforts of the U.S. government. Two years ago, during this same week coinciding with the Rosh Hashanah celebration, Palestinian attacks on Israeli citizens and soldiers, especially knife attacks known as the "Knife Intifada," began. The "Knife Uprising," in which nearly 350 people were killed, mostly young Palestinian attackers wielding knives, had apparently subsided in recent months.